Clothing Terms

Acrylic
A synthetic fabric that is extremely durable and often wrinkle resistant.


Angora -
Fabric from the hair of the Angora rabbit or Angora goat.

Antimicrobial -
A fabric finishing process used to protect against which odor-causing bacteria.

Appliqué -
A decorative embellishment on a garment .

Argyle -
A diamond-shaped plaid pattern, named for the tartan of a clan in the county of Argyll.



Balanced stripes -
Any pattern with background and stripe of the exact same width.

Broadcloth -
A weave of cotton, silk and rayon fibers that are woven with a fine crosswise rib . It usually has a lustrous and soft finish.

Brocade -
A heavy jacquard type fabric featuring an all-over floral design or raised pattern.


Cable knit -
A pattern consisting of vertical overlapping "cables" and flat knit columns.

Canvas -
A strong, durable, closely woven cotton fabric.


Cashmere -
A luxury natural fiber found from Kashmir goat, found in Asia. Cashmere is known for it's warmth and softness but, not necessarily for it's easy care.



Charmeuse -
The trade name of silk and silk-like fabrics. They usually appear to be shiny, soft, satin-like in appearance.

Chenille -
A fabric of fuzzy yarns standing out around a velvety cord.

Chiffon -
A plain woven soft silk that is lightweight and sheer. It can also be made from rayon and other synthetic fibers.

Chintz -
A printed and glazed cotton fabric .

Combed cotton -
A nicer cotton fabric with a silk-like feel.

Coolmax® -
The DuPont trademark for polyester.known to help wick away moisture from the body, keeping it cool and comfortable.

Corduroy -
A medium to heavyweight cotton pile fabric with wales, usually running vertically.

Crepe -
A crinkly, crimped or grained surface seen all kinds of fabrics-wool, cotton, silk, rayon, synthetics and blend.

Crochet -
A loose and open knit usually seen in summer sweaters.



Denim -
A twill-weave cotton that is durable and usually seen in pants or jeans.



Drop needle -
A type of knit that has an openwork pattern in the fabric cut due to some of the needles being "dropped out" during stitching, to .



Embroidery -
Needlework or trimming done as an embellishment to a piece of clothing. Usually hand done but, machine work is becoming more popular.

Enzyme wash -
Aprocess used on wovens, mostly denim or twill to soften while giving the fabrics a worn look.

Eyelet -
A series of finished patterned cutouts, or perforations giving breathability to the garment.


Flannel -
A tightly woven twill or plain weave used to produce awarm, soft fabric .


French terry -
A alooped pile back and smooth face circular knit fabric .


Georgette -
A sheer and lightweight fabric with a fine crepe surface.

Gingham -
A checked or plaid fabric usually made of pure or blended cotton.

Glen plaid -
A woven design that entails small checks with larger ones of similar colors.



Herringbone -
A twill weave . It is made up of parallel lines balanced evenly in each direction to creating a zigzag effect.


Houndstooth check -
A variation on twill weave construction. A broken check effect is made by a variation in the pattern of interlacing yarns.


Interlock -
The interconnecting of the knit stitches usually seen in cotton.



Jacquard -
A woven or knitted pattern made on a Jacquard loom. .



Jersey -
A generic term used to describe a plain knit fabric without a distinct rib.


Linen -
The fibers of the flax plant that woven into fabrics .

Lurex -
A metallic yarn which gives the knit a shiny luster.

Lycra® -
The DuPont trademark for its spandex fiber.


Madras -
A lightweight cotton fabric that has a striped, plaid or checked pattern.

Marled yarn -
Two single yarns of different colors that are twisted together.

Matte jersey -
Fine crepe yarns which produce a flat knit fabric.


Mercerized -
A process applied to a cotton yarn or fabric. This usually increases its luster and shine .

Merino wool -
The fleece of merino sheep used to produce a high-quality wool yarn.

Micro fiber -
A generic term for any synthetic fiber. They are soft, lightweight, breathable and durable.

Mille stripes -
Stripes formed by individual threads that alternate in color. Unless you look at the fabric up close, you may mistake this for a solid.

Modal -
A generic category of manufactured fibers. They have a greater ability to retain their shape.



Nylon -
A fiber, which is fast drying, strong, elastic and washable.

Paisley -
A teardrop shaped design.


Percale -
A plain lightweight fabric made in a great variety of qualities.

Picot -
An ornamental edging on a ribbon or laces.

Piece-dyed -
Fabrics that are dyed in piece form after they are woven are piece-dyed.

Pima -
A high-quality cotton known for its softness and durability.

Pinpoint oxford -
A lightweight, soft, cotton-like fabric.

Pinstripes -
The width of a pin, approximately 1/16 of an inch or less.

Piqué [peekay] -
A knitted cotton fabric with a waffle pattern.

Placket -
The piece of cloth that reinforces a split or opening in a garment.



Pointelle -
A pattern of openings.

Polyester -
A generic term for a category of synthetic fibers . They are lightweight, strong, quick drying, and resistant to creases, stretching, abrasion and shrinking.

Ponte -
A non-jacquard double-knit fabric made on an interlock basis.

Poplin -
A durable, plain weave fabric made of silk, cotton, synthetic fibers, wool or blends.


Ramie -
A bast fiber that comes from the stalk of a plant grown in China.

Rayon -
A generic term for a synthetic fiber made from cellulose. Highly absorbent, has a lustrous appearance, and offers good drapability.

Rickrack -
Flat ribbon with a zig-zag form that is usually used for trimming.

Ring Spun -
The original denim fabric .


Sateen -
Usually made of cotton, Sateen is a semi-lustrous surface that is smooth and durable.


Silk -
A strong, soft, absorbent, and has a brilliant sheen. Come in a filament form from silkworms.

Stain Resistance -
Any finish that repels water, oil, and most stains.

Stain Resist and Release -
Minimizes most stains, repels liquids, and releases most stains during normal washing.



Tactel® -
A soft, yet durable nylon fiber trademarked by DuPont that is extremely easy to wash and allows the skin to breathe.



Tencel® -
Made from wood pulp, this is a Tencel Ltd. Trademark for their brand of lyocell.

Terry -
A woven fabric with loop pile on one or both sides.


Tweed -
A woolen characterized by colored stubby yarns.


Velour -
A soft, plush fabric with a close, dense pile.

Velvet -
Ashort, closely woven cut pile fabric with a rich, soft texture.

Velveteen -
Cotton fabric made with a cut pile technique resembling velvet to create depth and richness.

Viscose -
Made of regenerated cellulose., it is soft, absorbent, and drapes well.



Wale -
Is one of a series of cords, running vertically or lengthwise.

Water Repellant -
Sheds water.

Waterproof -
A strong finish applied to a fabric that will not allow water to penetrate through.


Wool -
Made from the fleece of sheep or lamb.or all animal hairs, including Cashmere or angora goats, alpaca, vicuna, llama or camel.

Wrinkle Resistant -
A special finish that allows wear right out of the dryer.